The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-07-30
A REALM OF DARKNESS,
A SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN THE IN.
sTITuTloN FOR THE BLIND.

Marvellous Acnteness of Hearing of Its
Inmates-Proportion of Blind Persons
to tho Total Observation-Disclosures
in NIusic-Occupations.
When a reporter entered tho ,,ate of the
New York Institution for the blind the
mellow afternoon sun was warming the green
grass and vines The ring of the lcll brought
Miss Hatchnan to the wicket She is blind,
hut she opened the door as quickly as Il person
with eyes could have done, and led tho way
to the reception room. While waiting furtllc
superintendent the reporter found his attrll-
ton attracted by Il little gray haired lady in
black. She was gently swaying to and fro in
low rocking chair. She seemed the per-
sonltlratlon of intcntnesS. Every sense was
tense except that of seeing. Arrtness of
hearing was manifest i'll tho poise of thu head
and the attitude of receptivity for every
sound, no matter how faint. She seemed
wrapped i'll the silence of the night, listening
for the break of day.
The superintendent was announced The
reporter turned to the blind ladies and
thanked them for their courtesy He UNI
consciously bowed low to their u,,sceing eyes,
as men nod and gestculate at the telephone
Turning to Mr.. William b. Wait, he looked
with much curiosity into his eyes. They were
the eyes that did the seeing for 500 sightlcss
human beings. Wonderful eyes they are
beaming with kindlncss and intelligence,
with merry twinlilcs lurking in the corners,
and conveying n remarkable impression of
depth, rs if they We're storehou>cs for others
Visions The superintendent sail that there
are 2oO pupils i'll the building aud that the
main hall can seat $50.
PROPORTION OF BLIND PERSONS.
"What is the proportion of blind persons to
the total population!"
about one in every 900 for this latitude
This holds good throughout America and
Europe. When you get IN Africa, where
there is sand; or i'll the mining regions. where
accidents abound; or in extreme northern
lattu'lrS. where the glare from ice and snow
dazzles, the proportion is greater"
"Whom do you receive hcre!"
"Ne take children of and over, and
we give them an education. We do not take
grown persons. Most of those have obtained
their education before they became blind
Two impressions prevail about blind persons
People will read of the remarkable exploits
OF man like Fawcett, and they will conc! hide
That all blnt persons are wonderfully gifted
Then they will some blind persons who
haze not hcan "durn'"'. aud they will con-
c!'l'e that all blind persons are helpless. I'll"
truth is blind persons who get theis entire
education i'll institutions for the blind can he
developed into wonderful proficiency, hut
those who have received their education
before they became blind have hard work all
their life"
what proportion of the blind do the insti-
tuions deal withi"
at is very much smaller than people hnve
any idea of The nnmhar nf blind persons
under 10 years of age is only per cent. of
the whole number; hetwpen 10 aud 90 years,
IL per cent; between 20 and so, 30 per cent:
md over so years, 50 per cent, so that the
number of schoolable blind does not exceed
10 per cent. from which it appears that S.
out "f every 100 of the blind get their ednca-
tioa and training in schools for the seeing, if
at all"
"What faculties and senses are most ,lrv,l
oprl to replace the lost onca'
Memory and the sense nf hearing They
have to rely upon them more Hearing can
be developed so finely that they can tell
whether furniture has been taken ont of n
room and replaced with new, nlld know when
tho location of furniture has been changed
In walking along sidewalk they can tell
when they come near post"
"I'eoplc humbug themselves about that In
very roarse fabrics. like jutr, the blind can
sometimes tell the color by the feel of thctcx-
turt that is changed by the colorin. matter.
But they cannot detect color in glass People
see them asserting colorel beads II is not
the color but the size that enables them to put
them i'll the right boxes.
DO the blind have amy idea of color"
"W here they lave been blind from child
hoo'l they have none. What others have is n
matter of memory. When the optic nerves
are gone everything is rs black as tar to
them"
INSTRUCTION IN MUSIC.
MUSIC is the accomplishment that is most
developed, and the instruction is very
thorough. Miss Balnock was found asking
class of ten what the notes that were
struck on the piano by one of the pupils. The
answers came promptly and accurately from
The whole class, and they answered whether
they were major or minor, augmented or
diminished, and called off the soprano, tenor
or bass.
That will do very well for harmony" said
Mr.. Wait. "Nnw suppose we try n little dis
cord. Gus, sit down and strike some dis
cords,"
.
earnestly tried to strike some discrr,ls. MS
told, hut he was 30 full Of harmony that he
made them too harmonious. AT last he blum
dered into slc, but tb. echo hadn't time to re-
port Lefore tn" class had stated what k"ys had
been struck. Alice Mcdonald laughed
merrily. She archly bent her lie:, and shook
out her curls as she seemed to say to herself
"}iow absurd! just as if such a little one
would puzzle u.s. The two midgets at her
side cheerfully chucklei, while even little
Henry Tscbudi fairly snortcd ut the idea
Then Mr.. Wait, finding Gus so welded to
harmony. sat down and spreading his hand
over the keys, brought them down with
discord that would not have discrctlited n
brass band in fit of jimjams 1t did, for
sooth, puzzle them for moment. Alice
thought little. Hugh scratched his head
and the two oldest members of the class mcdi-
tated. But they got it, and all triumphantly
answered. Other discords followed. but the
notes in each We're told accurately and with
out delay This class was n merry one. Smiles
fitted across their faces from time to time, as
if their thoughts were joyous and gladsome.
OF the blind educated in institutions thirty
six have become ministers and one is n
magistrate, justice for once, at least, being
blind. There are two blind editors, and four
times as many publishers. Nine are horse
dealers and one is florist. Fiftynine are
farmers, eleven are physicians, 2G9 engaged
in storeke"ping and trading. and 702 Mt l.andi-
crafts, and 305 i'll manufacturing. The rest
are engaged in occupations that do not seem
so odd Ninty-four per cent of the blind
between 10 and 20 years of age i'll the state of
New York are now receiving instructions
in institutions for the blind. III Nevada
Nebraska, and Florida not one is receiving
instruction.-New York Sun.
Confederate Memorial Day.
The Confederate veterans are considering
the proposition to change the date Of their
memorial day from April 26 to May 80, the
northern Decoration day. Governor Fitz-
hugh Lee. of Virginia, recommends the
nge be..ause May 50 is national holiday
Entertaining the Pope.